How the Tory plotters can give Theresa May the boot
The knives are out for the PM. We take a look at the scenarios which could force a second Tory leadership contest in 15 months.
Friday 6 October 2017 12:49, UK
There's no doubt Theresa May is at a challenging time in her premiership.
Discontented and she is battling on a number of fronts.
Some say her leadership and credibility have been in tatters since her gamble of a snap election to win a Brexit mandate horribly backfired.
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Her Conservative minority government - propped up by the DUP - is in a and faces many challenges in Parliament - not least on Britain's exit from the European Union.
And many see Wednesday's as the last straw.
So what can the Tories plotting to oust her do to send her packing from Number 10?
We take a look at the scenarios which could precipitate a second Tory leadership contest in 15 months.
:: Theresa May resigns
The campaign to force the Prime Minister to quit includes around 30 MPs, including five former cabinet ministers and one former minister, and has the support of "one or two" Cabinet ministers.
But some senior Tories have rallied round her in a show of support.
The list of Conservative MPs who want Mrs May to go invites the PM to stand down "gracefully".
Will she need a further shove to pen her resignation?
:: A leadership election
One can only be triggered if 15% of Tory MPs - a total of 48 - write to Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee (backbench Tory MPs) saying they no longer have confidence in the leader.
If this threshold is crossed MPs would be invited to nominate candidates.
Each candidate would require the backing of at least two MPs to get on to the ballot paper.
If there is only one candidate, they would be automatically declared leader.
If there are several, Tory MPs would vote for their favourite, with those receiving the least votes forced out of the race, until only two candidates remain.
Conservative Party members then vote for their preferred candidate, with the winner becoming the new leader - and the next Prime Minister.
:: Recent Tory leadership contests
When David Cameron resigned following the Brexit vote in June last year, five Tory MPs - Theresa May, Andrea Leadsom, Michael Gove, Stephen Crabb and Liam Fox stood for the leadership.
Mr Fox was eliminated after the first round, followed by Mr Gove, while Mr Crabb pulled out.
Mrs May and Ms Leadsom were due to go to the ballot of the Conservative Party membership, but the latter dropped out of the race.
Mrs May was formally confirmed the new leader - and PM - on 13 July 2016.
In 2005, Michael Howard called a leadership election after announcing his resignation.
Mr Cameron was elected leader over David Davis, after Ken Clarke and Mr Fox were eliminated in earlier rounds.
In October 2003 Iain Duncan Smith was ousted as leader after narrowly failing to win the backing of enough MPs in a vote of confidence.
Mr Howard was elected leader as the only nominated MP to replace him.
The stakes are high in politics.
Do Mrs May's rivals have the nerve to wield the knife, or will the PM choose to jump before she is pushed?